Some shoppers stay low key on Black Friday

The aisles of the 23rd Street Goodwill store are mostly clear of shoppers on Black Friday in Panama City on Friday.

Andrew P Johnson / The News Herald

By ZACK McDONALD / The News Herald

Published: Friday, November 23, 2012 at 05:15 PM.

PANAMA CITY — While several businesses placed portable toilets by their entrances for the inevitable Black Friday lines, a few off-the-beaten-path stores catered to people accustomed to less mayhem.

“In about 15 minutes there were people coming in but we didn’t have a line,” said Carol Roberts, store manager of the Goodwill at 2520 W. 23rd St.“It’s just been business as usual for us.”

Goodwill held a Black Friday Black Dell Sale on all computers and components in the store starting at 8 a.m. Roberts said the store had about eight computers each for around $100, before the discount, that were gone within a couple of hours.

“We took the computers, refurbished them and put them on the shelf staring at $100,” Roberts said. “So 75 percent off of that would be next to nothing to pay for them.”

Outside the business, Penny Callahan of Valdosta, Ga., snapped the safety belts of her newborn’s car seat into place.

“I’ve got the baby so I don’t want to be in those places,” Callahan said, of the faster-paced stores. “I waited in line at Khol’s for 20 minutes but that was all.”

The Salvation Army at 1822 W. 15th St. had half off on everything in the store for Friday and Saturday. Many people took the opportunity to buy that missing piece of furniture to really tie the room together.

PANAMA CITY — While several businesses placed portable toilets by their entrances for the inevitable Black Friday lines, a few off-the-beaten-path stores catered to people accustomed to less mayhem.

“In about 15 minutes there were people coming in but we didn’t have a line,” said Carol Roberts, store manager of the Goodwill at 2520 W. 23rd St.“It’s just been business as usual for us.”

Goodwill held a Black Friday Black Dell Sale on all computers and components in the store starting at 8 a.m. Roberts said the store had about eight computers each for around $100, before the discount, that were gone within a couple of hours.

“We took the computers, refurbished them and put them on the shelf staring at $100,” Roberts said. “So 75 percent off of that would be next to nothing to pay for them.”

Outside the business, Penny Callahan of Valdosta, Ga., snapped the safety belts of her newborn’s car seat into place.

“I’ve got the baby so I don’t want to be in those places,” Callahan said, of the faster-paced stores. “I waited in line at Khol’s for 20 minutes but that was all.”

The Salvation Army at 1822 W. 15th St. had half off on everything in the store for Friday and Saturday. Many people took the opportunity to buy that missing piece of furniture to really tie the room together.

“I’ve heard the horror stories already from people starting early last night,” said Amy Connolly while loading a dresser onto her truck. “I waited in line at Best Buy this morning like a marathon runner in a start corral.”

Estelle Keith, director of the Salvation Army of Panama City and Chipley, said four people were waiting at opening this morning.

“We don’t usually have many people early,” Keith said. “We’re hoping that after everybody goes to all the other sales they’ll come see us. And that is what’s happened.”

The earlier hours on Thanksgiving for Black Friday did increase the number of early shoppers, Keith said.

“People get all the other shopping out of the way earlier and then come to us for anything else they’re looking for,” she said.

Keith said she predicts a creep of Black Friday further into Thursday in future years.

“If one person starts it then the other stores are going to follow suit,” Keith said. “Because they don’t want to miss out on the money.”

“I’m not for it or against it,” Roberts said of the earlier starting time at some businesses for Black Friday sales.

Roberts said she has worked in retail all of her life and that is the nature of the business.

“You know the amount of money you’re making and what you’re in for when you hire in,” Roberts said. “In today’s economy, you should just be happy you have a job.”